Republicans gain control of House of Representatives; Joe Biden sends congratulatory message

The opposition Republican Party gained control of the 435-member US House of Representatives on Wednesday, but with a narrow majority.

The Republicans now have 218 seats as against 211 of the Democratic Party. The counting of six seats is still going, the outcome of which would determine the final size of the House. The elections were held on November 8.

A day earlier, the party lawmakers had elected its leader Kevin McCarthy for the position of House speaker. McCarthy would replace Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of the Democratic Party as the House speaker.

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"Americans are ready for a new direction, and House Republicans are ready to deliver," McCarthy said in a tweet on Wednesday.

"I congratulate Leader McCarthy on Republicans winning the House majority and am ready to work with House Republicans to deliver results for working families," President Joe Biden said.

Last week's elections demonstrated the strength and resilience of American democracy. There was a strong rejection of election deniers, political violence and intimidation. There was an emphatic statement that, in America, the will of the people prevails, Biden said in a statement.

The president said in this election, voters spoke clearly about their concerns: the need to lower costs, protect the right to choose, and preserve democracy.

"As I said last week, the future is too promising to be trapped in political warfare. The American people want us to get things done for them. They want us to focus on the issues that matter to them and on making their lives better. And I will work with anyone -- Republican or Democrat -- willing to work with me to deliver results for them," Biden said.

The Republican Party gained control of the House of Representatives after a gap of four years, when in 2018 it lost the majority to the Democrats. The GOP had last won a majority in the House in 2010 and remained in control for eight years till 2018. In 2020, the party picked a net of 12 seats and defeated 13 incumbents.

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